Oklahoma coach says starting QB job still open

It has been assumed that Kyler Murray would be Oklahoma’s starting quarterback this season, replacing the departed Baker Mayfield.

But Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley said Monday at Big 12 media days that Murray has not yet won the starting job.

When asked how the offense will change with Murray at quarterback, Riley replied, “Kyler’s not the quarterback yet. There’s a really good competition going on and Kyler’s gonna have to fight like crazy to win this job.”

Redshirt sophomore Austin Kendall is the other player competing for the starting quarterback job, but Murray seems to have the deck stacked in his favor.

Murray was drafted by the Oakland A’s with the No. 9 overall pick in Major League Baseball’s recent amateur draft.

He signed a contract with the A’s that guarantees him $5 million but allows him to play one more season of college football.

Murray appeared in seven games for the Sooners last season, completing 18 of 21 passes for 359 yards and three touchdowns without an interception as the backup to Mayfield, who won the Heisman Trophy and was the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.

Kendall redshirted last season and was named one of the team’s offensive scout team players of the year.

Kendall appeared in two games in 2016, completing 16 of 22 passes for 143 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.